National Republican., 1887-02-08
IN CONGRESS- THIS WEEK.
IMPORTANT ACTION BY THE SENATE
YESTERDAY.
Tngland's Significant Acts with Ref
erence to the Panama Canai-Con-
spicuous Afrront to tho American
Peopie-Monroe Doctrine Nullified.

After transacting routine morning busi-
ness the Senate passed two pending bills
providing IN the aggregate $2l ,000,00 for
ordnance, &C., for the army and navy (the
texts of which are published elsewhere In
to.day's REpUBLIoAN), and then proceeded
(uuder special order) to the consideration
of House bills on the calendar, to which
there was no objection. Twenty bills were
passed. The Senate then, at 2:4b, resumed
consideration Of the Eads Tehuautepec
bill, and Mr.. Morgan continued his speech
IN support OF IL.
After reciting the features OF the Clay
ton.Bulwer treaty, he said that there had
been free expression Of opinion by Presi-
dents and Secretaries OF State as to the oblt-
cations resting on the government OF the
United States and as to It's corelative rights;
and they had been uniformly OF the ten.
dency that this government was ooliged
to protect commerce across the isthmus.
In addition to the rights conferred
by the treaty OF 1916, the Monroe
doctrine was safe foundation
for any interference that this government
might choose TO make with the operations
Of any company acting under the guarantee
Of foreign power, and seeking to estab
lish any exclusive or peculiar right OF
transit on that isthmus. He thought II
high time to have an understanding with
other powers particularly with Colombia)
as to American rights and privileges there.
The acts of the British government In
reference to the island OF Tobago and other
islands In the bay of Panama, In settling
down and preparing to fortify them, was
notification Of Its purpose to place itself In
position to command the Panama end Of
the canal, while on this side Of theisthmusit IL
had similarly strong position In the island
Of Jamaica. Jamaica was as near to the
ID. al tl,at a,,1 nf ry,. xua n
to the Suez canal. The time was as ripe
perhaps now as It ever would be for the
declaration Of a firm American policy
as to this great Mediterranean to
the south OF the United States. 1t
was no time for faltering; no time for
misunderstanding; no time for procrasti-
nation or delay. But 1t was high tirne that
there was announced and established
In the face Of the world, sedately, and
justly, and honestly, policy which the
American people were ready to pursue on
this question. In the absence of a dis
tinctive American policy, 10 the absence
Of an express determination to do what
duty demanded, for the present and for
posterity, Congress might well hall, and hesi-
tate in advancing any proposition that
had for It's object the final, practical solu.
tion Of that cloud Of mist and doubt and
disturbance which had existed ever since
the ratification Of the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty.
He was willing to unite with the senator
from Missouri who has charge Of this bill
(Mr. Vest), and with every Republican and
Democrat, to say to those who threw them
selves back on the Clayton-Bulwer treaty:
ave have had just as much OF that as we
intend to stand. You designed that treaty
for the purpose Of making us enter into an
agreement with you, which nullified the
He hoped that the people Of the United
States had at last arrived at that point OF
determination when they would say to the
government OF Great Britain: "Whateyer
is essential for us to have in the way Of a
transit across this isthmus for the passage
Of our armies, our ships, our merchandise,
to In natural justice, and that we will
have"
Whoever undertook, he said, to cut
through the isthmus, and convert 1t into q
part of the high seas, must first ascertain
from the United States government whether
It was entirely compatible with American
interests and wishes that It should be done
stitute lin point Of fact) q part Of the coast
line Of the United States, and It ought tt
constitute 1t in point Of law.
In conclusion ne said he was In favol
Of the Nicaragua project, of the TIE
hauntepec project, and OF any and every
American enterprise JnaL WOulu COLuluut
capital and force for the doing OF thai
which was absolutely indispensable unde
the command of the Almighty. IL th,
American people, with their capital, thei
genius, their industry, their resources o.
every kind, were negligent Of the duty o
improving the advantages Of that southern
Mediterranean, they would rest under yer.
severe condemnation.
1t seemed that the only possibility o
doing anything In that connection wa
through the instrumentality Of corporation
TO be created by the government OF th,
United States. But he thought that 1
would have been far better land he woult
have much preferred it) II the governmen
Of the United States, In the exercise OF 1t
own natural right and duty, had gone for
ward and (under an agreement witt
Nicaragua, Mexico, or Colombia) built thi
great work.
There was no power in the world tina
had the natural right to prevent the Unite,
States government from entering into sue
an arrangement, while any other powe
which attempted to undertake that wor
without first getting the consent Of tn
United States was violating right whic
the United States could not overlook.
At the close of Mr.. Morgan's speech, a
4:s0, the Senate, on motion OF Mr.. Cameron
went into secret session.
At 5:45 the Senate adjourned, and to
minutes later the doors were reopened.